Washout plug



May 7, 9.29- c; D. ALLEN WASHOUT PLUG Filed lay 2 1, 1927 ATTORNEY Patented May 7, 1929.

UNITED STATES cHAuNcEY n ALLEN, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

wasnou'r PLUG.

Application filed May 21,

The present invention relates to an improved. wash-out plug, of a type especially used in connection with locomotive boilers, tanks, drums, barrels and other containers for oil, gasoline, explosive fluids and the like.

I-leretofore the ordii'iary wash-out plug has been removably threaded directly into an opening in a boiler shell or the wall of a tank or other container in connection with which it is used, it being necessary at more or less frequent intervals to remove and replace the plug. This process enables the boiler, tank or the like to be flushed or otherwise cleaned to remove the sediment and other accumulations. Such a plug and the wall of the open ing provided for its reception, are ordinarily formed with relatively line threads, and because of corrosion of the threads or an im proper fitting of the plug at the time it is replaced after removal, the threads are liable to become distorted and stripped or otherwise damaged with the result that leakage occurs, or the plug is liable to be blown out it subjected to pressure, particularly sowhere a plug is in use on a locomotive boiler. lhe blowing out of a plug, or evenleakage may cause serious results, especially by endangering the lives of workmen employed in the vicinity of the locomotive or tank or the like in connection with which the plug is employed.

As will be shown by this specification, it is the main purpose of this invention to overcome these disadvantages as well as others which may be readily apparent from this specification, and in accomplishing this result to provide a very much improved washout plug, and one which will be an asset to the commercial field in this line of invention.

In order to overcome the distorting or stripping of the threads or otherwise damaging them, a bushing sleeve is employed for mounting permanently in a threaded opening in the Wall of the boiler, container or the like, it being another purpose to provide the bushing sleeve with internal squared threads, therefore, not only overcoming the leakage, but also overcoming the damagingof threads due to removing and replacing the plug. In other words, due to the internal threads of the bushing sleeve being squared and of substantial size, they retain the plug more securely, and yet provide a greater bearing for the plug as well as a substantial Wearing surface, and also provide substantial means with 1927. Serial No. 193,302.

which the plug may engage when screwed home.

. In the old type of wash-out plugs foreign matter accumulates between the threads of the opening, receiving the plug, and the threads of the plug, particularly grit and the like, which also Wears the surfaces of the threads and cause leakage. This is another disadvantage or feature to be overcome by this present invention, the squared internal threads of the bushing sleeve acting to afford a greater bearing and wearing surface, and to additionally prevent the collection of sediment, such as grit and the like, and to reduce the wear upon the squared threads to a minimum. It is the purpose to provide means for cleaning out the threads as the plug is screwed home, thereby eliminating any liability to cross-threading by which a sealing joint is formed at the upper end of the bushing and plug, dispensing with interposed rings and gaskets, which are necessarily soft and which are, therefore, liable to damage when roughly handled.

Anotherpurpose is to provide means for preventing the cutting back of a seat shoulder of the thread, that is beyond the safety point when under high pressure.

In many cases where wash-out plugs have projecting heads to which wrenches or the like may be connected for removing the plug, accidents happen, namely some large object may strike the head of a plug and thereby force the plug out of its position in the side of the boiler, tank or other container, allowing the steam and hot water to escape and causing injury to persons who maybe near by.

Such actions may appear as minor, but nevertheless it is another purpose to provide means by which such actions may be avoided. For instance, it is the purpose to construct the head of the plug so that in case it is struckby some large object it will break oil, instead of loosening the plug or knocking the plug out of its position. i

In past practice some forms of plugs are at times machined for the purpose of re-facing of seats, the result being that the plug is made unsafe foruse under high pressure, hence another purpose of the invention is to provide What may be known as a safety groove around the larger part of the plug, just beyond the bushing sleeve, such groove acting as a pre scribed limit for facing back of the plug seat.

A further purpose isto provide a plug with a cavity into which the sediment, such as grit and the like maybe received, asthe plug is screwed home.

otherwise distort the thread surface in general.

r The invention also aims to eliminate the I danger through the use of washout tools,

which heretofore have caused the liability of cross threading of v the plug when applying the bushing, thereby spoiling both members.

It is to be understood that the particulars herein given are in no way limitive, and that while still keeping within the scope of the invention,any desired modification of details and proportions may bemade in the construction of the device according to circumstances.

The inventioncomprises further features and combination of parts to be hereinafter set forth, shown in the drawings and claimed.

In the drawings Figure 1 is aplan view of the improved Wash-out plug constructed in accordance with the invention. I

Figure 2 is .a vertical sectional view through the same on, line 2 2 of Figure 1, showing the plug in elevation. I I I Figure 3 is a bottom plan view. v Figure 4 is a sectional view on line 44 of Figure 3 showing the plug in section, as-well as the bushing sleeve.

Referring to the drawings: 1 identifies the Wall of a container, such as a boiler, tank or the like, and which has an internally threaded opening 2, which receives an exteriorly threaded bushing sleeve 3. The external threads land the internal threads of the opening 2 are comparatively of slight pitch, and when the-bushing sleeve is threaded in position it may be permanently welded in place if desired, though not necessarily.

The'bushing sleeve is provided with an internal thread 5, the upper end of which, in-

steadof being tapered off as is usually the practice, it is cut off as disclosedat 6 to form a transverse shoulder, thereby-producing a threaded end which is substantial and it is,

' therefore, not liable to damage.

.The upper'endof the sleeve isprovided V withan internal tapered seat 7, and 8 identifies a valve plug, the exterior of which at one end thereof is supplied with a polygonal head ,9. Preferably this head is square and is adapted to be engaged by a wrench, not shown, whereby the plugfmay be removed if desired. The cylindrical body of the plug is provided with an external squared thread 10 similar to the squared internal thread of the bushing sleeve. The squared thread 10 has its end cut off to form a shoulder 11., thereby producing a substantial thread end for engagement with the squared thread of: the bushing sleeve. By this means both the lead or engaging thread ends at the starting point are of substantial structure. It is to be noted that where the lead end of the thread in a plug and bushing are fine or of very slight pitch and pointed they are easily liable to damage, not only when the threads are carelessly brought into inter-engagenlent, but also by the insertion of the wash-out tools through the bushing, tending to break this portion of the thread and thereby produce a liability to cross-threading and an ill fitting thread.

The centre of the inner end. of the plug 8 is chambered out to provide a cavity 12, and the annular wall caused to be formed thereby is provided with a transverse channel or recess 13. This channel is on an angle, in fact tangentially located with respect to the wall of the cavity 12, as shown clearly in Figure 3 at the lower extremity of the thread of the plug 8.

Obviously should any sediment o dirt, grit or the like tend to enter into the convolutions of the thread of the bushing sleeve, the shoulder or cut off end 11 of the plug will travel in the thread of the bushing sleeve and thereby clean the same, such sediment such as grit, dirtor the like will enter the channel or recess 13 and deposit into the cavity or chambered out portion 12 of the plug, and thereby protecting the thread of the plug.

The plug 8 is provided with an enlarged portion 14 between the threaded cylindrical body of the plug and the head 5). and the lower annular partof this enlarged portion is convexed or arcuate in crosssection as shown at 15, so that when the plug is screwed home it seats upon the tapered valve seat 7. thereby forming a tight seal which is readily cleaned and whenever desired re-faeed and thereby dispensing with all rings and gaskets which otherwise must be inserted, and between which dirt is very liable to collect and thereby distort such rings or gaskets and render them ill fitting and subject to leakage.

In order to positively prevent the re-facing of the annular edge 15 being carried beyond a safety point. there is provided what may be termed a safety groove 16. By this means the refacing is positively limited so that it cannot be carried beyond a certain point, such as to make the metal too thin. This safety groove 16 is arcuate in crosssection.

Adjacent where the head 9 rises from the enlarged portion 14, diametrically opposite parts of the head 9 are grooved or cut away as shown at 17 thereby affording a relatively llfl ara us reduced neck 18. The purpose of this neck is to provide for the head 9 to break oil, in case it is struck by some object, which would otherwise force the plug out of the side of the boiler or container, permitting the escape of steam and hot water, or causing injury to persons in close vicinity thereto. it can be readily seen that should the head 9 be struck,

the threads at their entering engaging point,

and also thereby overcoming the possibility of cross-tln'eading and consequent leakage.

The invention having been set forth, what is claimed is:

1. ln a vash-out plug, the combination witl a wall having an opening with an ii'l'ternal thread and an internal tapered annular seat, oil a plug having a thread to engage the thread of said opening, a head termed integral with the plug and provided with an annular seating lace opposing the annular seat of said opening, and provided with an annular safety groove extending around the head above the seating lace thereof, whereby grinding back of the seat beyond a u'edcterinined dhdanee is prevented.

2. A washout plug for a bushing having an annular seat, a plug having a thread to en gage a thread oi said bushing, a head formed integral with the plug and provided with annular seating face opposing the annular seat of said bushing and provided with an annular safety groove extending around the head alcove the seating iace thereof, whereby grinding back 01 the seat beyond a predetel-mined distance is prevented.

3. ill washout plug adapted for insertion in a wall having an opening, said opening he- :ing provided with an internally squared thread having its leading in end cut oil to form an end shoulder extending transversely oi the turn of the thread, said plug having its center cored to form an annular wall provided with a transverse notched recess in its end edge, said plug having a squared thread extending around the exterior surtace there of and terminating in a shoulder extending transversely of the thread turn and located. at

a side of the aforesaidnotched recess, whereby the shoulder may clean out the thread as the plug is screwed home.

4-. A. washout plug adapted for insertion in a wall having an internally threaded opeuing and provided with an internally tapered annular seat at its upper end, said plug hav-- ing a thread engaging the thread formed in said opening in said wall, said plug having a head formed integral therewitn and provided with an annular seating face opposing the annular seat oi said opening, whereby the grinding hack of the seat beyond a prede- 'tcrinined distance is prevented.

5. it. washout plug adapted for insertion in a wall haaxing an opening, the exterior of said plug and the interior of said opening having interaneshing threads carried thereon, and means at the inner end of the plug and ad joining the thread of the plug and cooperating with the thread formed in said opening in said we ll for cleaning sediment from between the turns of the opening thread as the plug is screwed into the opening.

6. In a device as indicated, a plug having a head and provided with a fracturing neck reduced less than the size of the head and less than the size of the plug, whereby the head may brealt oft should it be subjected to a severe blew.

7. In a device for the purpose set forth, a sleeve having an internal thread squared in cross section, a. plug having an external thread squared. in cross section to mesh with the first thread, the body of the plug having a cavity and provided with a channel leading tangentially from the cavity and ending with a part of wall forming an, inclined shoulder adjoining the external thread ot the plug, whereby the shoulder may clean the sediment from between the turns of the sleeve thread as the plug is screwed home.

8. In a device -lor the purpose set forth, a sleeve and a plug with inter-meshing internal and external threads squared in cross section, the inner face 01 the plug having a passage, a portion of the wall of said passage ter1ninating in an inclined shoulder, said shoulder being at the end elf the squared exterior thread of the plug and acting to clean the sediment trom. between the turns of the sleeve thread as the plug is screwed home.

In testimony whereof he allixes his signature hereto.

CHAUNCEY D. ALLEN. 

